Author: Hugh Latimer

Hugh Latimer (c.1487–1555) was a preeminent figure in English religious history, known for his zealous preaching and fiery oratory during the Reformation. A former Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester, Latimer turned to the Protestant faith and became a leading propagator of Reformation ideas. His sermons, infused with the fervor for religious reform, appeal to a sense of moral rigor and personal accountability before God. One of his enduring contributions to English literature and theology is “Sermons on the Card, and Other Discourses”, a collection that melds robust religious instruction with the colloquial vigor of the spoken word, a testament to his profound influence from the pulpit. In his discourses, Latimer employed analogies from everyday life, such as the playing card metaphor, to expound Protestant ethics and doctrine in an accessible manner. Throughout his sermons, his passionate advocacy for truth and his stance against corruption within the ecclesiastical hierarchy are evident. Latimer”s legacy as a preacher, theologian, and reformer endures in the annals of English religious thought, and his writings contribute to our understanding of the turbulent religious transformations of the 16th century.